Etiology


Pathophysiology

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Clinical features


Diagnostics

Light criteria

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Tip

  • Total protein normal level 6.0 to 8.3 g/dL (60 to 83 g/L)
  • Albumin normal level 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL (34 to 54 g/L)
  • LDH normal level 105 to 333 U/L

Satisfying any ONE criterium means it is exudative:

  • Pleural Total Protein/Serum Total Protein ratio > 0.5
  • Pleural lactate dehydrogenase/Serum lactate dehydrogenase ratio > 0.6
  • Pleural lactate dehydrogenase level > 2/3 upper limit of the laboratory’s reference range of serum lactate dehydrogenase.

Treatment


Subtypes

Pleural empyema

  • Accumulation of pus in the pleural cavity
  • Exudative effusion (bacterial colonization)
    • Differ from uncomplicated parapneumonic effusion, which is just exudative effusion (without direct bacterial invasion)